Dispensing machine



Oct. 18, 1938. F. w. HOBAN DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 'eld WHoban Fair/ z BY ATTORNEY F. W. HOBAN Oct. 1a, 1938.

DISPENSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. '7, 1935 INVENTOR Fa z'g/z'e/d WHoban ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1938. F. w. HOBAN 2,133,453

IIDISPENSIING MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Faig/z'eld W Hoban July 18, 1950 F. KORB 2,515,453

NONINTERMITTENT MOTION-PICTURE PROJECTION APPARATUS Filed 001;. 7, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Frau wick Z. Aor

BY m

Patented Oct. 18, 1933 UNITED STATE DISPENSING MACHINE Fairfleld W. Hoban, New York, N. Y., assignor to Stewart & McGuire, Inc., New York, N. Y a corporation of York 4 Application October '1, 1935, Serial No. 43,813

. 17 Claims.

The present invention relates to dispensing machines, and is more particularly directed toward dispensing machines designed to employ coin releasable mechanism for dispensing one article at a time from any one of a plurality of storage magazines in which the articles are stacked.

According to the present invention, the dispensing machine is provided with a plurality of normally operable devices each interlocked with mechanism adapted to be operated only when a ,coin or other token is present in a predetermined place in the machine. These devices are so arranged that when one initiates the dispensing operation for an article contained in one magazine by manipulating the corresponding device, this operation must be completed and the device returned to idle position. During this entire operation all the devices associated withthe other magazines are locked against operation.

According to the present invention, theplungers for dispensing the merchandise are locked against operation except when a coin or other token is present in the machine. Upon the operation of. any of the. plungers the coin releasable mechanism allows the completion of the cycle of operations in which the plunger is moved to the other extreme position and the article dispensed, all other plungers in the meantime being locked against movement.

According to the present invention, the apparatus is provided with a single operator for shifting the coin to release a latch'mechanisxn, and a plurality of article dispensers are available for actuating this coin shifting operator. When any one of these devices is selected for operation, all others are locked against movement. This single operator is conveniently made in the form of a shaft, and cam means are employed for shifting the shaft.

The invention also contemplates a structure for the purposes herein referred to in which the parts are designed for mass production and ease of assembly of a number of preassembled units.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is made to a continuing application, Serial No. 160,224, filed August 21,1937, directed to the dispensing and cabinet features of the present machine, as distinct from the control mechanism involved in the present application. The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same. Inthese drawings- Fig. 1 is afront elevational view pensing machine; v Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section takenon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

, Figs. 5 and 6 are horizontal sections taken on the lines 5--5 and 88 of Fig. 4

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the broken line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the lower l6 part of the dispensing machine taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the parts in different position than they appear in Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line Figs. 4 and 7;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional |0|0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. -8 showing the parts in an intermediate position;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view on the line |2-|2 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a plunger lock operable to prevent operation of a plunger after the stack of merchandise inits magazine has 30 been exhausted.

The vending machine is provided with a base 20 which, in addition to supporting the structure, I provides certain stationary or flxed parts of'theof the disview on the line mechanism. It has a rearwardly curving upper 35 front face 2| which supports an arcuate trough 22. The trough and curved front wall 2| are concentric. The base member 20 is also provided with upwardly extending posts 23 and 24 near the rear. These posts carry bolts 25 and 26. The 4Q casting forming the base member 20 is also provided with upwardly extending thin plates 21 and 28 forming end walls for the arcuate trough defined by the front wall 2|.

A lower front member 30 is grooved as indicated upper front face of the casting 30 is apertured as indicated at 36 and the base casting 20 is slotted as indicated at 31 to accommodate reciprocatory ejector members 38.

In the drawings, six such ejector members are illustrated. These ejector members are all alike, and each member has a downwardly extending element 39 adapted to be attached to a return spring 40. The front wall 2| of the base member is apertured as indicated at 4| to accommodate the spring 40, and this aperture is closed by the lower portion of the plunger when the plunger is in its inner or normal position, as indicated in Fig. 4. Each plunger is provided with an aperture 42 which, in the normal or inner position of the plunger, is within the annular trough 22 in the base member. The trough receives a number of balls 43 of such size with respect to the length of the trough that one plunger may be pulled out at any one time.

When all the plungers are in the inner position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the balls are loose, but when one of the plungers is pulled out, as indicated in Fig. 8, the web portion 44 of the plunger separates the balls on opposite sides of the plunger and forces the balls into the apertures 42 in the other plungers, thereby locking them against movement.

The inner-ends of the plungers are of T-shaped cross section, as will be apparent from Fig. 12. The webs forming this T overlie the balls. The T-shaped portion is surmounted by a rack 45. The extreme inner end of the plungers is extended downwardly, as indicated at 48, and is provided with a cam surface 41.

The cam surface 41 of the plungers is arranged to engage cam surfaces 49 carried on the upper face of a cam plate 49. This cam plate is secured to a vertical shaft 50 supported on a ball bearing 5| carried by a post 52 secured to the base casting 20. This post also forms an anchorage for the rear ends of the springs 40. When the parts are in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 3, the cams 41 on the plungers are adjacent the camming surfaces 48 on the plate 49. As soon as any one of the plungers 38 is moved outwardly, its camming element engages so as to exert a turning movement to the shaft 50. This is utilized for shifting the coin of the coin-release mechanism in a manner to be'described.

After the base 20, the front-casting 30, plungers 38 and shaft 50 and cam plate are assembled, a cover casting 60 with associated parts may be placed in position above the previously assembled elements. This cover casting is generally of arcuate contour, and its rearwardly extending inner ends 6| and 62 are received on the bolts 25 and 26. Nuts 63 fitted on these bolts fixedly secure the casting 60 in place. This casting is shaped to cover the ball race, as indicated at 64. It is slotted as indicated at 05 to accommodate the T-shaped heads on the plungers 38. The casting 60 is also provided with pairs of spaced bridging members 66 and G7 slotted from underneath as indicated at 68 to accommodate pawls 69. These pawls are held in place by coil springs 10 whose upper ends are anchored to .a curved rod II.

The position of the pawls 69 and the length and position of the racks 45 on the plungers is such that the racks are inside the lower ends 01 the pawls when the plungers are in the-inner position. As soon as the plungers are pulled outwardly beyond an amount to permit testing out slugs, the pawl engages the rack teeth, as indicated in Fig. 11, soas to prevent the return of the plunger until it has been pulled all the way out, as indicated in Fig. 8. The plunger can then be released and the rack will pass by the ratchet and pawl in an obvious manner.

The casting 60 has a bridging member 12 at the rear. This member is slotted at I2 to accommodate the shaft 50. A pedestal 10 havinx uprights I4 and 15 for supporting a coin control mechanismis secured to' this bridging member by bolts 16. The upper ends of the uprights I4 and 15 support a fixed platform-forming member TI which extends forwardly. /It is slotted as indicated at I to permit a coin to drop down into a trough I9 leading to the money box 00. The front end of the platform 11 extends to the right, as indicated at 8| and pivotally carries a pawl 82 pressed downwardly by a spring 03.

The upper end 85 of the shaft 50 is provided with a coin chute 86 adapted to receive a coin C and guide it down into a slot 81 where it rests on top of the plate 11, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 10. The upper edge of the coin is in line with the nose 90 of the pawl 02 so that when a coin is present, the pawl will be lifted by the initial movement of the cam plate 49 in response to the pulling out of one of the plungers 30. The pawl 82 is then raised far enough so that the shoulder 9| is above the stop lug 92 and hence does not interfere with the further movement of the shaft 50. In the absence of a coin C of the proper size, the pawl 02 is not lifted and the plunger cannot be pulled out far enough to have the ratchet 69 engage the rack 45 on the plunger.

The magazines for storing the goods to be merchandized are indicated at 90. These magazines have rear and side walls as shown and open front walls, and are adapted to support stacks of articles such for example as packages of gum indicated at G. The stacks rest on shelves 95 formed in the casting 30. The magazines are secured to the casting 60 by screws indicated at 94.

A follower 98 is placed on top of each stack of articles. It has a downwardly extending foot 91 adapted to enter into a slot 98 in the upper face of the plungers 30 and thereby lock these plungers against movement. This insures that when a particular magazine is empty, one cannot work the machine by starting to operate the corresponding plunger.

The coin control mechanism is supported on the upper end of the upright I4, the parts being secured in place by bolts indicated at I00 and MI. The mechanism has a forwardly extending coin conveying trough formed of a fixed member .I02 and a movable member I02 pivoted on a shaft I03 and held down by a spring I04 wound about the shaft. The pivoted side of the trough forms a scavenger designed to prevent underweight coins, slugs and the like from passing into the coin chute 86.

The movable plate I02 of the scavenger supports a scale I and has a lateral extension I00 engageable with a curved rod I01. This rod I01 is mounted to move with the coin chute 06, as indicated in the full and dot and dash lines of Fig. 7. This movement is brought about by the operation of the dispensing mechanism which turns the shaft 50. During the initial portion of the movement of the shaft 50 permitted by the space between the shoulder 9I on the pawl 02 and the lug 92, the parts move as indicated in Fig. 7,

and this will swing the scavenger to the dot and a,1ss,4sa L for movement thereby when any such plunger is coin, along with any underweight coins or slugs rejected by the scale, will. fall on the shield Ill and be diverted by a plate Ill into acoin return chute III at the left side of the mechanism. This initial movement of the shaft It is accomplished before the pawl it engages the rack on. the plunger and when the plunger is released it will be retracted. by the spring II. The spring I is strong enough to return the connected mechanismio the full line position of Fig. 7. Coins of the proper weight and size will be shifted by the scale Ill down into the coin chute It, as indicated-by the arrows in Fig. 4. Should a coin be present at the lower end of this trough, and another goodcoin pass into the coin chute III, this coin will travel down on top of the coin already in place and be diverted through the open left side of the lower part of the coin chute and fall onto the plate ill so that it is returned.

when the dispensing mechanism is actuated through the complete cycle, the shaft 50 is turned far enough to bring the coin above the slot 18 The camming surface on the inner end of the plunger then passes beyond the cam it on the cam plate and the shaft I0 is not turned thereafter. 0n release of the tension on the ejector or plunger, the corresponding spring 40 returns it to the inner position. As soon as the cam 41 passes by the cam 48, the shaft 50 is restored to normal position by the energy stored up in the spring IN carried by the scavenger. I 4 y The mechanism which has been described is preferably enclosed in a casing such as shown in the drawings. This casing has a rear wall III with the side flanges H2 and H3 received in the lower front casting ii and secured to it by screws indicated at Ill. The left flange H3 supports an upper front member or door H6 by means of a hinge indicated at I". This front member is shaped to be close to the storage magazines and is provided with windows H8 closed by glass plates Ill so that one can observe the stacks of merchandise in themagazines. It is also provided with a coin opening I20. A covermember IN is hinged at I22 to the upper end of the back member and has a flange I23 to overlie the front and side walls. It carries a lock Ill whereby the entire casing may be locked.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing machine comprising a plurality of manually movable members radially disposed in a horizontal plane, spring means for hold ng each member in a normal position. a movable locking plate positioned in .a horizontal plane and movable about a vertical axis. means on said plate coacting with each-manually'movable member for movement thereby whenany such member is moved manually. a releasable latch for holding the plate against movement, means responsive to movement of a selected manually movable member out of its normal position for locking all the other manually movable members against movement, and means independent of said spring means for restoring the locking plate to latched position after said spring means has returned saidmanually movable member to normal position.

2. A dispensing machine comprising a plurality of manually movable plungers arranged side by side in a horizontal row, spring means for holding ea'ch plunger in a normal position, a movable locking plate positioned in a horizontal plane, means on said plate co-acting with each plunger position for locking all the other plungers against movement, and means independent of the-spring means for restoring the locking plate'to latched position after said spring means has returned said plunger to normal position.

3. Adispensingmachineasclaimedinclaim2, wherein the locking means for the non-selected manually movable members comprises a plurality of balls carried in a raceway and forced into openings in the said manually movable members. movement of the selected member.

4. A dispensing machine as claimed in claim 2, having a coin receptacle connected with the moving plate and movabletoward the latch to release the .same ,when a coin is present therein, said plate being. movable thereafter by the actuation of a plunger. to a position to release the coin from the coin receptacle.

5. In a vending machine. a revolvably mounted vertical shaft.'a coin shifter carried by the shaft adjacent to the upper portion thereof, a stationary coin support below said shifter, a spring urging the shaft toone positionra latch-adjacent to said shifter limiting the movement of the shaft against the tension of the spring, except when a coin is present and releasable when the coin is present in the shifter, a cam plate fixedly carried by the shaft. in a substantially horizontal cam plate, shaft and coin shifter an amount to release the latch and the coin from the shifter and stationary coin support.

6. In a vending machine, a pluralityof manbeing engageable with them plate'toshift theually movable, spring-retracted electors disposed side byside in a horizontal row, a spring returned shiftable plate extending in a horizontal plane adjacent to said ejectors and having cams each engageable by an ejector to shift the plate upon actuation of that ejector. a latch for holding the plate against movement beyond a predetermined amount by the withdrawal of an ejector, a coin carrier shiftable with the plate during the initial movement thereof by the ejector and adapted to carry a coin to release the latch, and means for locking all the non-selected ejectors against movement. 7

7. In a vending machine, a spring biased vertical shaft, a plurality of manually movable, spring retracted electors radially disposed in a horizontal row, a plate extending in a horizontal plane adjacent to said electors and carried by the shaft and having cams each engageable by an ejector to shiftthe shaft upon actuation of that ejector, a latch for holding the shaft against movement by the withdrawal of an ejector, a coin carrier shiftable with the plate during the initial movementthereof by the ejector and adapted to carry v a coin to release the latch, and means for locking all 'the non-selected electors against movement, comprising an arcuate channel through which the ejectors pass, and a plurality of balls in the article dispensing 'devicesarranged side by side 75- carried by the shaft, said cams being arranged in a horizontal plane and each being engageable byone of said-dispensing devices when operated thereby turning the shaft against the tensionof the spring, alatch limiting the extent of such' turning'and the movement of the dispensing device selected, a stationary coin support, and a shaft-carried coin chute adapted to hold a coin in upright position on said support and to'carry the coin against the latch to release it so that the shaft maybe turned to a position to release the coin from the chute and support and to free the dispensing device for movement to dispense an article.

9 A dispensing machine having a plurality of article dispensing devices arranged side by side in a horizontal row, any one of which may be selected for manual operation, a vertical shaft,

, a shaft biasing spring, a coin carrier carried by said shaft and biased to a fixed position, a stationary coin support over,which said coin carrier is movable when a coin is present in the carrier, means responsive to the movement of any one of the dispensing devices out of normal position for actuating the shaft and coin carrier away from'said position, a stop latch adapted to permitf a finite movement of the coin carrier and device when no coin is present and to be lifted when a coin-is present whereupon the coin carrier and dispensing device may be moved farther to release the coin from the carrier by dropping it from the support, and a locking device which prevents the movement of the other dispensing devices.

10. In a dispensing machine, a shiftable sub! stantially horizontal plate biased to a fixed position, releasable latching means for the plate, cams carried by the plate, a plurality of spring positioned, manually movable article electors in a horizontal plane adjacent to said shiftable plate, each ejector having a cam engageable with a plate carv spring positioned, manually movable article ejectors arranged in a horizontal row adjacent to said shiftable plate, each ejector having a cam engageable with a plate carried cam for shifting the plate when the article ejector is nloved out of normal position, a trough across which the ejectors extend, sliders carried in the trough and adapted to be displaced by the manual movement of one article ejectorto look all the other article ejectors against movement, a stationary coin sup port, a coin shifted movable with the cam carrying plate over said coin support from the fixed position to a position to drop the coin from the shifter and support, and a stop latch releasable only when a coin is present in the shifter to release the plate and permit movement of an article ejector.

12. In a dispensing machine,- a shiftable substantially vertical shaft biased to a fixed position, cams carried by said shaft and located side by side in a horizontal plane, releasable latching V 2,138,453 I in a horizontal row, anyone of which may be se-' meansyfor the shaft, a plurality of spring positioned, manuallyzmovablearticle electors arranged side. by side in a horizontal row, each ejector having a cam, engageablewith a shaft carried cam for shifting the shaft when the shaft latching means is released and the article ejector is moved out of normal position, an annular 'troughacross which the electors; extend, and

sliders carried in the trough and adapted to be displaced by the manual movement of one article cam for shifting the plate when the plunger is moved out of normal position a trough across which the electors extend, sliders carried in the trough and adapted to be displaced by the-mam ualmovement of one plunger to lock-all the other plungers against movement, a trough cover having slots through which extend racks carried by the electors, and pawls carried by the cover and engageable with the racks to require the completlon of manual operation of any ejector shifted beyond a predetermined amount. v

14. In a coin controlled vending machine, an

upstanding control shaft rotatable from' a retracted position to an operated position, means resiliently maintaining said shaft in its retracted position, a plurality of reciprocable article dispensing plungers disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular with respect to said shaft, interconnectingmeans between said plungers and said control shaft for imparting rotary movement to said shaft when one of said plungers is reciprocated, and coin control means for said control shaft comprising, a coin shifter carried by said shaft, a stationary coin support cooperating therewith and having a slot through which a coin may pass when the control shaft is turned from its retracted position to its operated position, and

a latch adjacent to said coin shifter coacting with said shaft to limit the movement of the shaft from its retracted position by any of the article dispensing plungers except when a coin is positioned in the coin shifter for engagingthe latch to effect a release of the latch when a plunger is actuated to rotate the shaft.

15. In a coin controlled vending-machine, a coin receiving slot and coin conve'yingchannel, a coin rejectingmember normally cooperating with said channel during the passage of a coin therethrough but movable to eject coins therefrom, an upstanding shaft rotatable from a retracted position to a position to eject coins, means operated by said shaft for moving the coin ejector when the shaft is moved from its retracted posi: tion, common means resiliently maintaining said shaft in a retracted position and said coin ejector in its normal channel cooperating position, a latch coacting with said shaft to prevent rotation of said shaft from its retracted position, a coin shifter carried by said shaft for receiving a coin rejecting member normally cooperating with said channel during the passage of a coin therethrough, but movable to eject coins therefrom, spring means maintaining said member in its cooperating position with respect to the channel during the normal passage of a coin therethrough, an upstanding shaft rotatable from a retracted position to a coin releasing operated position, means engaged by the coin ejector for resiliently maintaining said shaft in a retracted position and movable with the shaft to move the coin ejector from the channel, a latch coacting with said shaft to prevent rotation of said shaft from its retracted position, a coin shifter carried by said shaft for receiving a coin from said coin channel which, when a coin is positioned therein for engagement with said latch,. eifects a release of the latch when the shaft is rotated, and means for rotating the shaft when it is released by a coin in the coin shifter.

17. In a coin controlled vending machine hav-- ing an upstanding control shaft rotatablefrom a retracted position to an operated position, means resiliently maintaining said shaft in its retracted position, and coin releasable latching means for limiting the movement of said shaft from its retracted position except when a coin is positioned in said coin releasable latching means so that the shaft may be turned to an operated position for releasing the coin from said coin releasable latching means, a plurality of reciprocable article dispensing plungers disposed in'a substantially horizontal plane and radially with respect to said control shaft, each plunger having a downwardly extending cam at its inner end,-a cam plate rigidly connected to said control shaft and extending horizontally therefrom below said plungers, a plurality of upstanding cams extending from said cam plate under said plungers and forward of cams on the plungers, whereby when the control shaft latching mechanism is released by a coin, thereby freeing the shaft to permit actuation of the plungers for dispensing articles and a plunger is moved outwardly, the control shaft will be turned from its retracted to its operated position during the article dispensing operating of the plunger.

FAIRFIEID W. HOBAN. 

